RETRACTABLE SELF-SANITIZING DIVIDER ASSEMBLY
A self-sanitizing divider assembly is provided. The assembly includes a planar structure comprising a first surface, a sanitization system and a divider. The sanitization system may include a housing having an interior volume with an opening on one side of the housing, wherein the housing is coupled to the planar structure. The sanitization system may also have a moveable sanitizing members, wherein the sanitizing members move in response to activation of the sanitization system. The divider may be coupled within the housing with a portion of the divider extending through the opening of the housing to extend away from the first surface of the planar structure or may be coupled adjacent the opening of the housing and extending away from the first surface of the planar structure. The sanitization system automatically sanitizes the divider with sanitization solution during movement of the sanitizing members after activation of the sanitization system.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application entitled “RETRACTABLE SELF-SANITIZING DIVDER ASSEMBLY,” Ser. No. 17/201,861, filed Mar. 15, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application entitled “RETRACTABLE SELF-SANITIZING DIVDER ASSEMBLY,” Ser. No. 63/022,419 filed May 8, 2020, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical FieldThis invention relates generally to a divider for use on a desk or other shared surfaces, and more particularly to a retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly that has a divider that is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position.
State of the ArtDividers are used for various purposes. Referring to
There is a need for an improved divider that can be moved between a retracted position and an extend position and reduces the time and effort for cleaning the divider.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly with a divider that is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position.
An embodiment includes a self-sanitizing divider assembly comprising: a planar structure comprising a first surface; a sanitization system comprising: a housing comprising an interior volume with an opening on one side of the housing providing access to the interior volume of the housing, wherein the housing is coupled to the planar structure; and moveable sanitizing members, wherein the sanitizing members move in response to activation of the sanitization system; and a divider coupled within the housing with a portion of the divider extending through the opening of the housing to extend away from the first surface of the planar structure or coupled adjacent the opening of the housing and extending away from the first surface of the planar structure, wherein the sanitization system automatically sanitizes the divider with sanitization solution during movement of the sanitizing members after activation of the sanitization system.
An embodiment may include a retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly comprising: a planar structure comprising a first surface and a second surface; a housing comprising an interior volume with an opening on one side of the housing providing access to the interior volume of the housing, wherein the housing is coupled to the planar structure; a divider coupled within the housing moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the retracted position the divider is located within the housing and the in the extended position, a portion of the divider is extended through the opening of the housing to extend away from the first surface of the planar structure; and a sanitization system coupled to the housing wherein the sanitization system automatically sanitizes the divider during movement of the divider between the retracted position and the extended position.
In embodiments, the divider may be spring loaded. In other embodiments, the divider is a manually moved between the retracted position and the extended position. In yet further embodiments, the divider comprises an actuator that is electrically operated to move the divider between the retracted position and the extended position. The divider may be a planar substrate. The housing may be an open box shape. The sanitization system may comprise a flexible substrate. Sanitizing solution may be retained in the flexible substrate. The sanitizing solution may be located adjacent the opening of the housing. The flexible substrate may be coupled to a cassette. The cassette may be removeably coupled to the housing. The cassette may be removeably coupled to the divider. Sanitizing solution may be incorporated into a spray device sprayed on the flexible substrate. The assembly may be coupled between seats. The assembly may be coupled to an armrest between the seats. The seats may be shared transportation seats. The seats may be venue seats.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures, and:
As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly with a divider that is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position.
Referring to the drawings,
The assembly 10 may also include a housing 20 that includes an interior volume 22. In embodiments, the housing 20 may be a rectangular prism shape or any shape that corresponds to the shape of a divider 30. For example, and without limitation, the housing 20 may include four side members 24 that are coupled together to form a rectilinear shape and a bottom member 26 coupled to one end of each of the four side members 24 to form an open box structure, wherein the housing including an opening 28.
In some embodiments, the housing 20 may be coupled to the planar structure 12 with the housing extending away from the second surface 16 of the planar structure 12 with the opening 28 of the housing 20 aligned with the aperture 18 of the planar structure 12, as shown in
As depicted in
As shown in
Generally, suitable sanitizing solutions comprise disinfectants approved for use against COVID-19 on surfaces by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), such as hydrogen peroxide and the like. EPA List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 lists disinfectants approved by the EPA and is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.
In other embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the assembly 10 may be utilized for other structures beyond a divider 30. For example, as depicted in
Further still, as shown in
In additional embodiments, the assembly 10 may be utilized for other purposes and devices beyond a divider 30. For example, as depicted in
Another embodiment is shown in
The system 110 may also include a housing 110 that includes an interior volume 111. In embodiments, the housing 110 may be a rectangular prism shape or any shape that corresponds to the shape of a divider 30. For example, and without limitation, the housing 110 may include four side members that are coupled together to form a rectilinear shape and a bottom member coupled to one end of each of the four side members to form an open box structure, wherein the housing includes an opening. The housing 110 may be coupled to the planar structure, such as securing it with bolts, adhesive, resting it on the surface and so forth.
The assembly 10 may include sanitizing members 112 operatively coupled on opposing sides of the divider 30. As shown in
In another embodiment shown in
In yet another embodiment, the sanitizing member 112 may be a rotatable member that can rotate to clean the divider 30, as shown in
While is shown in
It will be understood that the sanitization system 100 may include a power source, such as a plug to a power source or batteries. The system 100 may be activated by a push of a button (such as button 120 in
Embodiments may be available on or through the internet, such as through domain names reserved and owned by Applicant that include auto-wipe.com, sani-swipe.com, wipeoutgerm.com, wipeout-virus.com, dipandclean.com, friendlydivider.com, pushtoclean.com, cleanpopup.com, magicdivider.com, and the like.
Accordingly, the components defining any retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly or self-sanitizing divider assembly may be formed of any of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended operation of a retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly or a self-sanitizing divider assembly. For example, the components may be formed of: rubbers (synthetic and/or natural) and/or other like materials; glasses (such as fiberglass) carbon-fiber, aramid-fiber, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polysulfone, and/or the like), thermosets (such as Epoxy, Phenolic Resin, Polyimide, Polyurethane, Silicone, and/or the like), any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; composites and/or other like materials; metals, such as zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel, aluminum, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; alloys, such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination thereof.
Furthermore, the components defining any retractable self-sanitizing divider assembly or self-sanitizing divider assembly may be purchased pre-manufactured or manufactured separately and then assembled together. However, any or all of the components may be manufactured simultaneously and integrally joined with one another. Manufacture of these components separately or simultaneously may involve extrusion, pultrusion, vacuum forming, injection molding, blow molding, resin transfer molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, plating, and/or the like. If any of the components are manufactured separately, they may then be coupled with one another in any manner, such as with adhesive, a weld, a fastener (e.g. a bolt, a nut, a screw, a nail, a rivet, a pin, and/or the like), wiring, any combination thereof, and/or the like for example, depending on, among other considerations, the particular material forming the components. Other possible steps might include sand blasting, polishing, powder coating, zinc plating, anodizing, hard anodizing, and/or painting the components for example.
The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.
Claims
1. A self-sanitizing divider assembly comprising:
- a planar structure comprising a first surface;
- a sanitization system comprising: a housing comprising an interior volume with an opening on one side of the housing providing access to the interior volume of the housing, wherein the housing is coupled to the planar structure; and moveable sanitizing members, wherein the sanitizing members move in response to activation of the sanitization system; and
- a divider coupled within the housing with a portion of the divider extending through the opening of the housing to extend away from the first surface of the planar structure or coupled adjacent the opening of the housing and extending away from the first surface of the planar structure, wherein the sanitization system automatically sanitizes the divider with sanitization solution during movement of the sanitizing members after activation of the sanitization system.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sanitization system comprises sanitization solution within the housing, wherein the sanitizing members are at least partially immersed within the sanitization solution prior to activation of the sanitization system.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sanitization system comprises spray devices configured to spray sanitization solution onto the sanitizing members prior to the sanitizing members moving after activation of the sanitization system.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sanitizing members comprise a sanitizing substrate preloaded with sanitization solution.
5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the sanitizing substrate is replaceable when the sanitization solution preloaded on the sanitization substrate is evaporated.
6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the planar structure is a table or desk.
7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the planar structure is a counter.
8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the planer structure is an armrest of a seat.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 4, 2022
Publication Date: Jul 14, 2022
Inventor: Charles Isgar (Scottsdale, AZ)
Application Number: 17/713,061